Letting the Werewolf Take Over
by Silvarius
Summary: What happens when Remus Lupin loses his mind after the death of his friend? He attacks what he thinks is the cause of the death.


> Here's a short little story I wrote. It's probably a bit OOC for Lupin, but he is mad in this fic after all. Please R&R.

* * *

Harry couldn't remember doing it, couldn't remember picking up the fallen dagger, and couldn't remember thrusting it into his attacker's chest. It was as if Harry just forgot everything that had happened the moment the body hit the floor. The only thought in his head at the time was that he had killed a man - a friend, too! This friend, however, had lost his mind; after all, he had lost all his friends at the hands of the enemy -- just to keep Harry's status of 'The-Boy-Who-Lived'. Harry couldn't have possibly comprehended this at the moment, he was still frozen at the sight of the body before him.

The body of Remus Lupin.

* * *

Harry heard a knock on the door of his room at Number 12, Grimmauld Place. He was too absorbed in the memories of the time he had spent with his now-deceased godfather and didn't want to be bothered. One memory was stuck in his head -- the memory of that fateful night at the Department of Mysteries. Harry was so lost in that memory that he didn't notice his door open and a figure entering the room.

"Harry?" a horse voice asked.

"Go away."

Remus Lupin sat down at the bottom of the bed, "Just wondering how you're holding up."

"I thought I said to go away." Harry said, angrily.

"Harry, Sirius' death was hard on all of us and I know --"

"What would you know?!" Harry was on the verge of screaming at Remus.

Remus sighed, "Much more that you may think, boy." There was a note of bitterness in his voice that was never there before.

Harry looked up into Remus' eyes and was shocked to see an evil glint in them. There was also a smirk on his face. He looked . . . different, not like the cool, calm, reserved man he normally is. All of this didn't go unnoticed by Harry.

"Professor? Is everything all right?"

He laughed, "Perfectly fine, Harry. In fact, I feel so -- enlightened -- like what I kept locked inside me for so long is finally free. It makes me feel so alive!" Harry didn't notice Remus reaching into his robes. "Pity I can't say the same for you."

Harry had about 3 seconds to think what he had meant by that before Remus pulled out a dagger from his robes and lunged at him. Harry dodged it, but was too slow.

"AHHHHHH!" Harry screamed, as a bright red line appeared on his arm.

He leapt towards the door, only to find it was locked from the outside. Harry cursed; Remus must have locked it on his way in.

Remus came after him again with the dagger raised high and that evil glint in his eyes. He looked like a rabid dog -- mad and insane. Suddenly, it dawned on Harry. It wasn't Remus trying to kill him, it was the werewolf.

Harry had his back to the door, seeing as how he couldn't get out that way. Remus kept coming closer and closer, dagger still help high.

"Professor! Stop!" Harry tried to get through to him, "Professor, I know you're in there somewhere! You got to fight back against yourself!"

Remus ignored Harry's pleas, "You're the reason Sirius is dead. It's all your fault -- you and your stupid dreams. It's because you never learned how to stop them, that I lost my last true friend. You don't know what it's like to lose all the people you've ever cared about, Harry. YOU MUST DIE!" The last 3 words were yelled at the top of his voice.

He made another stab, but this time Harry was faster. He ducked under Remus and ran to the other side of the room.

Harry knew he was doomed now. He was cornered with nowhere else to run and his wand was over on the dresser. There was no way he could get to it.

Remus knew he had Harry now, but before advancing in for the kill, he stopped to admire his weapon.

"Isn't it beautiful, Harry? Found it upstairs in Sirius' room. He really shouldn't have left things like this just lying around. Ironic that a weapon of your godfather's is going to be the weapon of your demise." He stopped to look at Harry. "And now, my boy, prepare to see Sirius again."

"Professor, get a hold of yourself! Think of what you're doing! You let the werewolf side of you take control, you've got to fight back!" Harry tried pleading again, but to no avail.

But wait! Maybe something did get through to him. Remus stopped dead in his tracks and paused as if he really was trying to retaliate against himself. Looking straight into Harry's eyes, he said, "I am thinking. I'm thinking about how badly I want to see you dead." Harry noticed how much emotion Remus put into his voice.

Deciding he was finished with talking, Remus made another lunge at Harry, but as the knife came down on Harry, his fist connected with Remus' face. He punched him right in the nose.

Remus dropped the knife to bring both hands up to cup his nose; pulling them away and seeing blood. He became so enraged at this site, that he went after Harry again, not realizing he had dropped the dagger.

Seeing the dagger on the floor and Remus coming after him, Harry dove for the fallen weapon. He felt Remus' hand on his shoulder, roughly turning him over so he could strangle him. Harry didn't think, he just reacted.

Harry thrust the dagger deep into Remus chest, just narrowly missing his heart. Remus gave a cry of pain and looked down at the weapon protruding from him. His eyes were now full of horror. Finally, the shock overtook him and he fell to the floor with a thud.

Harry kneeled down next to him, "Professor, I'm -- I'm so sorry." Tears began to fall from his face.

"No, I'm the one who should be sorry." Remus' voice was barely audible. "I could have killed you. Forgive me, Harry."

"It's ok Professor, I --"

"Don't call me that, Harry. Just call me Remus."

"Okay Remus."

Remus smiled and with all his remaining strength, wretched the dagger painfully from his chest.

"What are you doing?! You're going to bleed to death!"

"So be it, I don't deserve to live." Harry was astonished to believe that Remus was willing to die like this.

There was a silence in the room, until Remus finally spoke. "I can't -- I can't hold on much longer, Harry."

"Please try."

"I'm afraid I can't." Remus was having trouble breathing now. "Goodbye Harry." He shut his eyes and his breathing ceased . . . he was dead.

* * *

"Harry?"

Harry felt a hand on his shoulder, snapping him back to reality. He looked up to see Mrs. Weasley, tears streaming down her face. He couldn't take it anymore as threw his arms around her and sobbed. The instincts of a mother took over, and she comforted him.

Dumbledore and Kingsley were examining Remus' dead body, (Harry was surprised to see Dumbledore there). Tonks was still standing in the doorway; Mr. Weasley and Mad-Eye were standing off to the side, talking and shaking their heads; and Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, and Ginny all just stared, dumbfounded.

"Harry, what happened here?" Dumbledore asked the question on all of their minds.

Harry retold the story from beginning to end, including the part where he realized that it wasn't really Remus attacking him. Once he finished, the room remained silent. He decided to ask Professor Dumbledore the question that had been bugging him.

"Why did he do it? Why did he let the werewolf side take over?"

Dumbledore looked down at the body and thought for a moment, the replied softly, "We'll never know, Harry. We'll never know."

* * *

> Well, what do you think? Let me know.
> 
> -Silvarius


End file.
